It is more much DPS loss then not using an Orb. Without spamable I have to spam heavy attacks, they are not as strong even buffed by fire staff.

Also I have seen that Orb floats away and does not land all damage ticks on single target with exception of very large bosses, therefore I prefer to stay with Unnerving Boneyard.

And potions instead of Inner Licht and Degeneration. I have Elemental Drain and Consuming Trap instead.

FrancisCrawford wrote: »

Why are we discussing this level of optimization when you are wearing such suboptimal gear? No monster set? Even Slimecraw would be better than 2 pieces of Magnus, and it's very easy to get. Ilambris and Grothdarr are easy too.

No Maelstrom weapon?

No Ring of the Pale Order (for defense, but that matters if you're solo).

You can't have all those things while wearing the 5-piece sets you've chosen, but you can have some.


Also, I tend not to find room for Necrotic Potency on my solo builds. But that may change now that the era of AoE XP farming is coming.

Because this goes towards end build. It does not matter what I do wear now. I do not want to wear Ring of Pale Order, Maelstorm weapon will be part of my end gear anyway. I am asking to pros and cons of slotting two skills of mage guild vs potion usage and ability to slot a mystic orb in general.

Scardan wrote: »

Degeneration:
Pros: triggers Magicka Controller, Everlasting Magic (more total DoT damage), Might of the Guild. Does not cost gold and lets me sell Spell Power Potions.
Cons: occupy the space for Mystic Orb, which is imho best damaging DoT ingame.


Potions:
Pros: free up space for Mystic Orb (more DoT damage), longer duration.
Cons: cost a lot of money, I will craft less potions for selling.

But Mystic Orb is sooo sexy...And I want to keep Inner Light, because of passive bonuses. I do not want to take Mage Guild Ultimate to frontbar. I am wearing Julianos and Mother Sorrow and two pieces of Magnus.
Frontbar: Mystic Siphon, BB, Ricochet Skull, Mage, Inner Light. Ulti: Colossus.
Backbar: Degeneration, Unstable Wall, Graveyard, Harness Magica, Necrotic Potency. Ulti: Goliath (for dire situations).

What would you take? Other pros, cons? Ideas?

Mystic orb advantages
- helps your allies with sustain (although the healer might have that covered for the team)
- strong DoT I presume
- requires players to make use of the synergy (obvious but important none the less, not everyone activates synergies either)
- gives a synergy to your allies (undaunted command), even more sustain.
Mystic orb disadvantages
- Healers use mystic orb quite a lot if that counts as a disadvantage
- Don't forget you're a necromancer DPS, anythinf that will slow your rotation down will be a dps loss, this of course depends o how good you are at managing a good roation with magic orb, so not nesessarily a down side
- If you choose to run magic orb you'll have to run the spell power potion, meaning if you wanted to run a different potion it would be hard without lossing out on your damage output. Technically you still could use another potion but it would not be ideal.
- Not all players activate synergies, in fact quite a lot don't activates synergies, although this will probably not be the case in higher difficulty content.
Degeneration advantages
- Grants you empower for 3 seconds after casting degenration, that combined with the fact that it's easier to weave in between attacks using degeneration, should see a big dps growth.
- The Magicka Controller grants you 2% additional max magicka and max recovery on your back bar, meaning if you've got more max magicka on your front bar and less on your backbar you won't lose any max magicka when bar swapping, (if you manage to balance it that is)
- Mystic orb costs 3780 magicka whereas degeneration costs 2065 magicka due to the mage adept passive in the mages guild
- Sustain issues might be more prevalent when using magic orb as opposed to degeneration that only requires you to cast it every 25 seconds, or 12.5 seconds if you want the DoT be kept constant on your enemy.
- You can run other potions to facilitate sustain/survavbility or whatever you're lacking
Degeneration disadvantages
- you lose your magic orb

If you really want to use the magic orb I'd suggest what "what_the" suggested, although I'd have replaced Ricochet Skull with degeneration and you'd have space for magic orb on your backbar, but you can switch it up whoever you'd like, whatever floats your boat.

My magplar also lacks class access to major sorcery, has two very tight skill bars and refuses to suck potions as part of the rotation (expensive and not fun). So she runs Rattlecage and loves it. Though few would call Rattlecage optimal for top numbers, I think it is a solid set and, more importantly, enjoy it more than running degen or sucking potions.

I got Spirit Slayer in vet Vateshran with Degeneration instead of Spellpower potions on mag necro, so it's definitely viable in endgame content if you're cheap like me. For trials and maybe DLC dungeon hardmodes, might want to use spellpower potions for the whole group's sake.

Also, you should dump Necrotic Potency for something else IMO. I use the ghosty healer and Dampen Magicka for solo arenas, but for dungeons you might be able to get away without a heal or damage shield, and can slot a damage skill there.

Scardan wrote: »

tsaescishoeshiner wrote: »

I got Spirit Slayer in vet Vateshran with Degeneration instead of Spellpower potions on mag necro, so it's definitely viable in endgame content if you're cheap like me. For trials and maybe DLC dungeon hardmodes, might want to use spellpower potions for the whole group's sake.

Also, you should dump Necrotic Potency for something else IMO. I use the ghosty healer and Dampen Magicka for solo arenas, but for dungeons you might be able to get away without a heal or damage shield, and can slot a damage skill there.

I dumped it for Spirit Guardian.

I have Inner Light on frontbar and degeneration on backbar.

Now I can actually free some skill points from Bone Tyrant skill line, because without necrotic potency, I do not trigger some passives and I can take mage guild passives instead.

I dont like Spirit Guardian, but I am afraid that I will be killed without extra 10% damage mitigation.

I think Spirit Guardian is the right choice, but it's scary relying only on it and a damage shield because it only heals every 2 seconds. I don't use Ring of the Pale Order, so it's my only form of healing 😳 It's an efficient skill, but I feel you on not being too pumped about it